The Triumphant Life of Theodore Roosevelt edited by J. Martin Miller

CHAPTER XVI
THE CONVENTION ASSEMBLES
Elihu Root Made Chairman—A Remarkable Speech—Difficult Problems
Will of the People Must Govern — Assurance of Good Government —
Candidates of Proved Competency—Past Achievements—Sound Cur.
rency — Trust Regulations — Practical Laws — Trade Doubled — The
Isthmian Canal—Monroe Doctrine Upheld—Army and Navy Strengthened—Tribute
to Roosevelt.
The first session of the RepubUcan National Convention
was called to order in the Coliseum, Chicago, at 12.14, Tuesday,
June 21, 1904, by Postmaster General Henry C. Payne, acting
chairman of the national committee.
The call for the convention, dated from Washington, January
i6th, and signed by Senator Hanna.was then read. When
the reading clerk reached the name of Senator Hanna the
applause was loud and prolonged. Chairman Payne then
said, "The Republican National Committee has selected for
your temporary chairman Elihu Root of New York, and pre-
sents his name for your acceptance."
Governor Odell of New York then moved that the action
of the national committee in the selection of the temporary
chairman be approved. The motion was unanimously carried
and Temporary Chairman Root was Introduced. He
addressed the convention as follows:
TBMPORABY CHAIRMAN ROOT'S ADDRESS
The responsibility of government rests upon the Republican party. The com-
plicated machinery through which the eighty million people of the United States
224